I hate to see this done to fine machinery (Sorry-NGC)

[Gliderjohn]

This is what appears to be a once beautiful Stearman biplane painted as it would have been as a Navy trainer. It sits tied down outside at my local airport. Story supposably is that the owner died and remaining family are fighting over what to do with it but unwilling to pay out the bucks to store it properly. It is going down hill fast now. What a Shame for a once proud bird.




GliderJohn

[oldbike54]

 Unfortunately this is common John , at some point all we are left with are a few examples of history , mostly in museums . How many 1957 Fords or Chevies are left ?

  Dusty

[ken farr]

That is unbelievable.

So, we are going to argue over a couple of hundred a month for proper storage, so instead, we let the machine deteriorate to scrap,.......

They should be ashamed of themselves, but they're not.........


kjf

[Chuck in Indiana]

Ran when parked. Make nice project..

[nc43bsa]

How many 1957 Fords or Chevies are left ?

  Dusty

1957 Chevys?

Due to the reproduction market, probably about as many as GM built.   

[azguzzirep]

One of my uncles had a biplane during WW2, and after he got out of the service  storage costs were more than he could afford.
A friend at the airport traded him a Crosly Hotshot for it, in leu of storage fees.

[Daniel Kalal]

Unfortunately this is common

The common part is the argument over "grandma's teapot."  It's not common to argue over "grandpa's Stearman."  There are a good number of Stearmans in the Wichita area (including this one), which is where they were born, of course.  Who owned this one, John?  It looks like our recent hail damage took care of the fabric.

[oldbike54]

The common part is the argument over "grandma's teapot."  It's not common to argue over "grandpa's Stearman."  There are a good number of Stearmans in the Wichita area (including this one), which is where they were born, of course.  Who owned this one, John?  It looks like our recent hail damage took care of the fabric.

  No nothing about the AC world , but I know of a couple of motorbikes from the first half of the last century that are moldering away because the family is fighting over who granpa wanted to have the dang thing .

 There was a family member that worked in the old Stearman factory , guess if one has relatives from the Wichita area that is pretty common 

  Dusty

[Daniel Kalal]

...because the family is fighting ...

Whenever we visited, my grandmother would have her children and grandchildren put a small sticker (with their name) on anything they were really attached to.  Her system worked.

[oldbike54]

Whenever we visited, my grandmother would have her children and grandchildren put a small sticker (with their name) on anything they were really attached to.  Her system worked.

 Kinda hard to keep a sticker on a cloth covered AC  Yeah , seems your family was a bit nicer than mine .

  Dusty

[Gliderjohn]

Quote from Daniel.

Who owned this one, John?

That I don't know. I took the pictures earlier this fall when the airport was hosting a regional aerobatic competition.
GliderJohn

[Chuck in Indiana]

Howard 250

Now, *that's* a project..

[Tom]

This probably a good time to post this.  I've been to a number of them.  A little depressing but interesting.

http://www.johnweeks.com/boneyard/#SITEA

[kirby1923]

Now, *that's* a project..

It was a beauty!

12,500' 60% 45 gph a side and 3 qt of oil 230kt true in low blower. A pilots aircraft for sure!

[oldbike54]

It was a beauty!

12,500' 60% 45 gph a side and 3 qt of oil 230kt true in low blower. A pilots aircraft for sure!

 Tail dragger or tricycle ?

  Dusty

[kirby1923]

 Tail dragger or tricycle ?

  Dusty

No training wheel on this baby, Goggle it!

Lockeed Loadstar or Howard 250/Howard 500

:-)

[oldbike54]

No training wheel on this baby, Goggle it!

:-)

 I did , showed both . Gotta love those tail draggers 

  Dusty

[Orange Guzzi]

Duct tape.

[canuguzzi]

Happens quite often, a bunch of family members own something and each would get only a very small sum so the holdouts have no incentive to do something. Happens with houses too, thing sits until it galls apart because if sold, everyone gets only a few thousand, not enough to agree on anything.

Shame all the same.

[Chuck in Indiana]

It was a beauty!

12,500' 60% 45 gph a side and 3 qt of oil 230kt true in low blower. A pilots aircraft for sure!

A little rich for my blood.  Lets see.. 90 gallons @ $5 and 6 quarts @ $7.. hmmmm...$492 an hour at cruise. Not to mention what it's burning getting up to 12.5. That's easily a $750 an hour airplane to operate. And I was complaining about 8 gph in the Pitts.. 

[kirby1923]

A little rich for my blood.  Lets see.. 90 gallons @ $5 and 6 quarts @ $7.. hmmmm...$492 an hour at cruise. Not to mention what it's burning getting up to 12.5. That's easily a $750 an hour airplane to operate. And I was complaining about 8 gph in the Pitts.. 

Ha!
Yes you almost have to be the "Donald" to afford one of these old war horses.

The DOC cost you mention is only the beginning. The Insurance the maint. the consumables the storage  ugh!! never ending money pit. Not only that you have to have a co pilot (21K MTOW) But I really love these old machines. I have a twin beech now which is much easier to manage.
Its like owning a old classic moto..they have an attitude and you can either get along with it or not.

I believe that pilots and motorbike riders have allot in common.
Both require a special set of skills to operate and both are inherently dangerous.

The last pitts I flew was an S2..what a hoot, like getting out of an F18 and into a A4, just think about it and it happens.

Cheers

mike

[cruzziguzzi]

This is what appears to be a once beautiful Stearman biplane painted as it would have been as a Navy trainer. It sits tied down outside at my local airport. Story supposably is that the owner died and remaining family are fighting over what to do with it but unwilling to pay out the bucks to store it properly. It is going down hill fast now. What a Shame for a once proud bird.




GliderJohn

This appears very much like one that came flittingly across my bow a while back. I took evasive action as soon as I found out it was languishing in some sort of probate swirling vortex of doom.

Often explains otherwise inexplicable neglect.

Todd.


Todd.